Stars: Richard Cromwell, Helen Mack, Lionel Atwill Director: James Cruze After being released from jail, a young couple search for their stolen loot so they can start a new life.
I just finished the second half, and finish my comments: Really great movie. Gripping psychologically (for the audience) and heart wrenching too at the same time, because you try to tell the foolish young man to listen to his girl friend....What will the modern young people (less than 50!) say - they will most likely say that it is all too 'romantic' and not 'real life' - meaning their real life of toughness, roughness, aloofness, lack of kindness, DISTRUST, police roughness, .... the list goes on. Watch it please.
Lovely film. The two central actors had great chemistry and charm. Hadn't heard of either, so I checked. Both had good careers in the 1930s, both left acting in the early 1940s and both found successful new careers - Cromwell as an artist and Mack as a radio producer and writer. Cromwell was briefly married to Angela Lansbury.
The Wrong Road, released 11 October 1937 (USA). Richard Cromwell Jimmy Caldwell; Helen Mack as Ruth Holden; Lionel Atwill as Mike Roberts; Horace McMahon (as Horace MacMahon) as Blackie Clayton; Russ Powell as Chief Ira Foster; Billy Bevan as McLean; Marjorie Main as Martha Foster; Rex Evans as Victor J. Holbrook; Joseph Crehan as the District Attorney; Arthur Hoyt as Beamish; Syd Saylor as Big Hobo; Selmer Jackson as the Judge; Chester Clute as Dan O'Fearna; Earl Askam, Convict; Brandon Beach, Minor Role; Sidney Bracey, Waiter; Lane Chandler, Detective; Richard Cramer, Detective; Claire Du Brey, Matron; Ralph Dunn, Convict; Gordon Hart, Headwaiter; Gladden James, Bank Official; James A. Marcus, Parole Board Member, Forbes Murray, Parole Board Chairman, Frank O'Connor, Man at Auction, Jack Perrin, Policeman; Larry Steers, Man at Auction; Ferris Taylor, Bidder; Blackie Whiteford, Convict; Harry Wilson, Convict.
James Cruze started directing films in 1919 and probably directed 100 films in his career. This one he directed in 1937, one year before his last films.
1937, a Depression year. The guy earns $25 a week which adds up to a grand total of $1,200 a year. Not much but...then again, back then, you could grab a meal at your neighborhood diner for a nickel. 5 cents. Here we have two college students who are looking to live a big time life through a $100,000 bank snatch. When what that plan shows is they're big time dummies willing to.sacrifice 10 years of their youth, years lost that can never be retrieved.
Fantastic story, fantastically done! 'I can get 40 dollars for the car!' - and so it goes....who would have thought of a story like this. And I did not hear a word about violence in the prison. We truly seem to have lost something (no, a lot) since 1937 - and will it be back - the general decency, politeness everywhere, good thoughts assumed, ....I haven't finished the movie yet! - so I am not sure whether it will be a good 'Christmas movie'....DONT MISS IT!
I couldn't agree more. Human civilization was at an interesting social entertainment era. Iam a little jealous! Try your best to make a friend in our "era" we currently live in (no matter what our age is) if you are alive right now December 5th, 2020.. Try your best to make a new friend, let alone try keeping the friends you have (had) especially given the global pandemic!
Of course in this movie all the couple to DO WAS wait until everyone was asleep, silence or muffle the music box and with a screw driver ACCESS the money, remove it and return the box it to its location and then leave after a couple of days without arousing suspicion ! That's the flaw in this movie !
An early Republic attempt at something other than a horse opera or serial. Everyone will remember director James Cruze as the star of "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" in 1911, and the cast includes Helen Mack, silent comedy star Billy Bevan, Marjorie Main, and, of course, Lionel Atwill.
